OTTUMWA — The Wapello County Board of Supervisors held a short meeting Tuesday night to make amendments to the fiscal year 2008-2009 budget.

“When you increase expenditures, you have to amend the budget,” said Supervisor Jerry Parker.

These are funds that the supervisors didn’t know to budget, so they had to amend the budget to add them.

Almost all of the funds for the budget amendments came from increased funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, totaling about $900,000.

A grant for about $10,000 for veteran’s affairs from the state and a grant for about $85,000 for the Sheriff’s department were also part of the budget amendments.

“For the most part, this is good news,” said Supervisor Chairman Steve Siegel.

The supervisors opened the meeting for public comment to discuss the budget amendments, but there was no public comment.

The board approved the budget amendments and voted to appropriate the funds.

• Siegel reminded the board of the Iowa Utilities Board public hearing at 5:30 p.m. today at the Ottumwa High School. The hearing is to discuss the proposed rate increases by Alliant Energy.

• The emergency management commission will meet on Monday and Thursday next week to interview the final four candidates for the emergency management coordinator for the county. The meeting Monday will be at 6 p.m., and the meeting Thursday will be at 5 p.m. Both will be held at the Law Center and are open to the public.

Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.